Robin Roberts Reveals Her 'Sweet' Partner Amber Laign Has Breast Cancer: 'Prognosis Is Good'

Robin Roberts and Amber Laign
Robin Roberts and Amber Laign

J. Merritt/Getty

Robin Roberts is sharing some personal news about her longtime partner, Amber Laign.

"My sweet Amber wanted me to tell you something that she's been facing. At the end of last year, Amber was diagnosed with breast cancer," the Good Morning America anchor revealed in a video posted to Twitter on Thursday.

"She had surgery last month and this morning will begin chemotherapy. Thankfully, the prognosis is good," Roberts continued.

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The veteran broadcaster, 61, went on to thank the couple's loved ones and those in their close circle for keeping the news private until Laign was ready to share it with the world.

"She and I have been together almost 17 years and have helped each other through our challenges like my journey with cancer. It's my turn now to be there for her like she was for me," Roberts added.

"And that means I'll be away from GMA from time to time like this morning as she starts chemo," she explained.

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Robin Roberts, Amber Laign
Robin Roberts, Amber Laign

Andrew Toth/FilmMagic Amber Laign and Robin Roberts

"We know many, many are facing cancer and other challenges — like my mama said, 'Everybody's got something.' Please know that you are in our prayers and hopefully we're in yours, too," Roberts concluded.

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Roberts has been open about her health in the past, as she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007. Five years later, the news anchor was diagnosed with a rare blood and bone marrow disease called myelodysplastic syndrome, and needed a bone marrow transplant in order to survive.

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"My doctor told me I had a year or two to live if I didn't have a successful transplant," Roberts previously recalled to Rachael Ray. Roberts' sister, Sally-May, ended up being a match and became her life-saving donor.

"Someone once said that when you share so much of yourself, it's really universal, that people really could relate — it helps them so much," Roberts told PEOPLE at the WebMD Health Heroes Awards in 2016 of being public with her struggles. "I didn't plan on doing this, I didn't plan on sharing as much as I have. But I kept finding there was a way."